diff --git a/src/ui/starter-select-ui-handler.ts b/src/ui/starter-select-ui-handler.ts
index 7396608bfc4..a29a65aca80 100644
--- a/src/ui/starter-select-ui-handler.ts
+++ b/src/ui/starter-select-ui-handler.ts
@@ -1828,9 +1828,9 @@ export class StarterSelectUiHandler extends MessageUiHandler {
       // The persistent starter data to apply e.g. candy upgrades
       const persistentStarterData = globalScene.gameData.starterData[this.lastSpecies.speciesId];
       // The sanitized starter preferences
-      let starterAttributes = this.starterPreferences[this.lastSpecies.speciesId] ?? {};
+      let starterAttributes = this.starterPreferences[this.lastSpecies.speciesId];
       // The original starter preferences
-      const originalStarterAttributes = this.originalStarterPreferences[this.lastSpecies.speciesId] ?? {};
+      const originalStarterAttributes = this.originalStarterPreferences[this.lastSpecies.speciesId];
 
       // this gets the correct pokemon cursor depending on whether you're in the starter screen or the party icons
       if (!this.starterIconsCursorObj.visible) {
@@ -3408,9 +3408,8 @@ export class StarterSelectUiHandler extends MessageUiHandler {
       if (species) {
         const defaultDexAttr = this.getCurrentDexProps(species.speciesId);
         const defaultProps = globalScene.gameData.getSpeciesDexAttrProps(species, defaultDexAttr);
-        // Bang is correct due to the `?` before variant
         const variant = this.starterPreferences[species.speciesId]?.variant
-          ? (this.starterPreferences[species.speciesId]!.variant as Variant)
+          ? (this.starterPreferences[species.speciesId].variant as Variant)
           : defaultProps.variant;
         const tint = getVariantTint(variant);
         this.pokemonShinyIcon.setFrame(getVariantIcon(variant)).setTint(tint);
diff --git a/src/utils/data.ts b/src/utils/data.ts
index 337aac1110b..6580ecf2ee9 100644
--- a/src/utils/data.ts
+++ b/src/utils/data.ts
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ const StarterPrefers_DEFAULT: string = "{}";
 let StarterPrefers_private_latest: string = StarterPrefers_DEFAULT;
 
 export interface StarterPreferences {
-  [key: number]: StarterAttributes | undefined;
+  [key: number]: StarterAttributes;
 }
 // called on starter selection show once
 
@@ -74,27 +74,10 @@ export function loadStarterPreferences(): StarterPreferences {
       localStorage.getItem(`starterPrefs_${loggedInUser?.username}`) || StarterPrefers_DEFAULT),
   );
 }
-
-/**
- * Check if an object has no properties of its own (its shape is `{}`)
- * @param obj - Object to check
- * @returns - Whether the object is bare
- */
-export function isBareObject(obj: object): boolean {
-  for (const _ in obj) {
-    return false;
-  }
-  return true;
-}
+// called on starter selection clear, always
 
 export function saveStarterPreferences(prefs: StarterPreferences): void {
-  // Fastest way to check if an object has any properties (does no allocation)
-  if (isBareObject(prefs)) {
-    console.warn("Refusing to save empty starter preferences");
-    return;
-  }
-  // no reason to store `{}` (for starters not customized)
-  const pStr: string = JSON.stringify(prefs, (_, value) => (isBareObject(value) ? undefined : value));
+  const pStr: string = JSON.stringify(prefs);
   if (pStr !== StarterPrefers_private_latest) {
     // something changed, store the update
     localStorage.setItem(`starterPrefs_${loggedInUser?.username}`, pStr);